There is a large global gap in expenditure data on cancer control, and available data suggest generally low and unequal expenditure across countries and territories, according to a cross-sectional analysis published by Figi et al in The Lancet Oncology.
“The paucity of publicly available expenditure data on cancer control indicates the need for production of detailed NHAs [National Health Accounts] that include disease-specific expenditures to ensure availability of regular, comparable, and reliable data,” the investigators wrote.
Study Details
The investigators sought to quantify and compare nationally reported recurrent expenditure on cancer control across 218 countries and territories identified using the World Bank Open Data classification of economies.
Publicly available expenditure data were collected from NHAs or NHA subaccounts; government-led or government-commissioned reports, studies, and data; and original research published in peer-reviewed journals. The investigators first searched the World Health Organization Repository of Health Budgets and Global Health Expenditure Database, followed by national government, ministry of health, ministry of finance, and audit department websites. Prespecified Google searches were conducted when data could not be identified through these sources.
Countries and territories were included in the primary analysis if complete cancer-control expenditure data and the corresponding data required for currency or inflation conversion were available. Data were collected between June 6, 2024, and December 20, 2025.
Key Findings
Cancer-control expenditure data were available for 81 (37%) of the 218 countries and territories evaluated, with most data obtained from NHAs or NHA subaccounts. Data from 77 countries and territories could be converted to 2022 U.S. dollars for comparative analysis. The median year from which expenditure data originated was 2018.
Among countries and territories with available data, mean annual expenditure on cancer control was $88.90 per capita. Expenditure varied by World Bank income classification, averaging $173.40 per capita in high-income countries and territories, compared with $15.70 in upper–middle-income, $3.90 in lower–middle-income, and $0.40 in low-income countries and territories.
“Our findings indicate high variability of per-capita health expenditure on cancer control globally and generally low expenditure levels, particularly in lower–middle-income and low-income countries and territories,” the investigators concluded.
They added, “Globally, there is an opportunity to strengthen routine measurement systems with NHAs to quantify investments in cancer control and to support more transparent benchmarking. By making cancer expenditures visible and comparable, this work helps create an evidence base to inform priority setting and allocation decisions for cancer control.”
John T. Figi, MBBS, of Harvard University, Boston, is the corresponding author of the article in The Lancet Oncology.
DISCLOSURE: The study was funded by Harvard University. The study authors reported no conflicts of interest.
